ITTF No.4 (Jan) Final (2023_01_12)

WORLD TABLE TENNIS
Yuan Jianan
Racket: Butterfly Viscaria FL
Forehand: TSP Spectol 2.1
Backhand: Butterfly Dignics 05
Yuan Jianan, Exceeding Expectations
Presented by the Galaxy Entertainment
Group, staged in mid-October in the
Tap Seac Multisport Pavilion, Yuan Jianan
of France was very much the player to
catch the eye at the WTT Champions
Macao. Contrary to expectations she
reached the women’s singles semi-finals,
eventually losing to China’s Sun Yingsha,
the champion elect.
Notably, at the quarter-final stage she
beat Japan’s Kasumi Ishikawa, having in
the last 16 ousted Chinese Taipei’s Chen
Szu-Yu. However, it was the opening
round success that exceeded all other
results achieved, not only in Macao but
during the whole year. She beat Wang
Manyu, the reigning World champion, a
player renowned for her quite incredible
level of consistency.
Dramatic, it was a contest in which she
kept everyone on the very edges of their
seats, no more so than the coaches sitting
courtside, advisors with vastly different
levels of experience. Guiding the fortunes
of Wang Manyu was Ma Lin, 42 years
old, the playing career over; for Yuan
Jianan it was a young man half the age
of the Beijing 2008 Olympic campion,
19-year-old Alexis Lebrun, results gained
in the past year suggesting a spectacular
international career lays ahead.
The contest went the full five games
distance, in the fifth, Yuan Jianan won the
first three points, Ma Lin called “time out”
but to no immediate avail, Yuan Jianan
established a 5-0 lead, the fast forehand
attacking strokes, the side on which uses
short pimpled rubber most effective.
Wang Manyu reduced the gap to 8-5,
but at 10-6, Yuan Jianan held four match
points; all were saved. Matters level but
the momentum was with Wang Manyu, to
her great credit Yuan Jianan maintained
her composure, no sense of panic,
keeping mind, body and soul together,
she secured the next two points, a major
upset was realised.
Winning the last point there was no
spectacular celebration. She shook
hands with her opponent and then
umpires before returning to receive the
congratulations of a somewhat stunned
coach. In fact, if you had not been
watching the engagement you may well
have thought by her calm expression, she
had lost!
Beating a World champion, overcoming a
leading member of the Chinese women’s
team is news; time and again they have
proved themselves ahead of the field,
a fact endorsed by their performances
at the Chengdu 2022 World Team
Championships; not one individual match
surrendered, just two requiring four
games. The fact underlined the task Yuan
Jianan faced, one of which because of her
upbringing she was no doubt more aware
than most.
Yuan Jianan was born in Zhengzhou,
moved to France when 18 years old,
gained citizenship in 2011 before in 2018
commencing her international scene in
the colours of the tricolore.
She reflects on her win against Wang
Manyu.
What do you think were the main
reasons why you won?
I didn’t expect to win this match, in fact,
before the match, I had booked my air
ticket to leave the next day, I was ready
to leave. I think I played very well, my
serve and forehand attack was very good,
the way I played the first three attacking
strokes may have put pressure on my
opponent; for sure I was very happy to
win the match.
How did you feel before the start of
the match and how did you prepare?
In fact, I didn’t have any confidence
before the match, she is very strong, so
it was normal preparation but of course
I paid great attention to my preparation.
I feel very proud to be able to compete
with the world’s top players like Wang
Manyu. Before the match I practised with
Jeon Jihee and Jang Woojin from the
Korean team.
What do you consider the main
overall strengths of Chinese players?
They are thorough in all aspects of the
game; it is because of the foundation that
has been laid since childhood. It doesn’t
just apply to technique, every time I play
against them, I feel they have a certain
aura.
In the fifth game how were you
feeling when you had match points?
I led 10-6, then Wang Manyu came back
to 10-all; I kept thinking that the situation
was okay, for certain I was nervous,
but at that time everyone was nervous.
Each of us wanted to win the game, it
was important to be totally focused, play
every point as best as I could, calculate
every stroke.
You played in the World
Championships in Chengdu, to what
extent was this a help in Macao?
Yes, the Chengdu World Championships
was a great help being before the Macao
tournament. I was adjusted to the time
zone; it was like normal life, there were
players against whom I could practise.
How did you prepare for the next
matches?
After Wang Manyu, I knew I had difficult
matches ahead, Chen Szu-Yu and Kasumi
Ishikawa are very good opponents,
difficult to play against, so I prepared
thoroughly. I concentrated on being strong
mentally, after playing Wang Manyu I
thought my state of mind improved. I
must admit I checked my flight ticket
before each match, so I was ready to
leave the next day!
In Macao you played in excellent
conditions, what impressed you the
most about the conditions?
The size of the competition venue was
very comfortable for me, the lighting
was very cool, I liked the combination of
black and purple, beautiful and cool, very
atmospheric. We ate well, lived well, even
had free time to go shopping! In short,
I really liked to compete in Macao, the
arrangements were very good.
You come from a country known
for success in table tennis but what
motivated you the choose the sport?
The first and most important thing is that
you must enjoy playing table tennis, it’s
not an easy sport! Always I have had high
targets, since childhood the goal was to
compete in the Olympic Games, the World
Championships, the World Cup; these are
still my goals until the present day.
Do you prefer best of five or best of
seven games?
I personally prefer to only have to win
three games out of five; the main reason
is it’s better for me because of my physical
strength and energy. After all, I am not 20
years old now!
Asian players dominate women’s table
tennis; what do you think are the
major reasons?
Asian women will continue to be dominant;
I think the main reason is that the training
system and the foundation laid from
childhood is very solid, that enables them
to gain a better understanding of speed
and a sense of timing.
What are your goals for 2023?
To maintain a good World ranking and look
forward to even better performances.
18-ITTF Magazine ITTF Magazine- 19